Midnight Confessions
by Queriusole
Summary: Summary: Lupin Tonks, Black. A series of midnight encounters between Remus and Tonks during the month of November, Order of the Phoenix.


Summary: Lupin Tonks, Black. A series of midnight encounters between Remus and Tonks during the month of November, Order of the Phoenix.

Disclaimer: I'm just having fun with the wonderful characters created by JKRowling.

**MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS**

It was midnight as Nymphadora Tonks stood in her shower and sighed in relief. The cast was finally gone from her ankle, so she wiggled her foot around in delight. Then she frowned. Her Auror duties had been keeping her very busy during the day and both she and Lupin had been very busy with assignments for the Order that carried them into the night. She wasn't sure when she would see him again although they were both in London during the month of November.

She turned off the shower abruptly and shoved the shower curtain aside.

"Would my lady like some help drying off?"

She practically leapt into the open towel and squealed, "Remus!"

"I don't need a shower, Tonks," said Remus as he caught the wet, wriggling woman in the towel.

"What you need is a kiss," suggested Tonks as she drew his head down to hers. She smiled into the kiss as she heard him groan.

Remus pulled back to catch his breath and just held her against him for a moment. His voice was husky as he admitted, "What I need is a review on my seduction lessons."

"You have an admirable thirst for knowledge, Professor," said Tonks as she felt his hands stroking her body through the towel.

"I've always been a diligent student," confessed Remus as he began nibbling on her ear lobe.

"Ah, that feels is so nice," sighed Tonks. "Sure you don't want the final exam?"

Remus stopped nibbling on her body and was silent for a moment. "Nymphadora, come to Holyhead with me."

"Holyhead? Your ancestral home? Is this a wolf thing about mating for life?" she wondered aloud.

Remus laughed softly and embraced Tonks. "No, actually, wolves tend to be monogamous, but they can have several mates in a lifetime."

He reached around to take her hand in his and admitted, "It's more a Lupin thing. Do you understand?"

Tonks had to step back for a moment as the undertones of what Remus was asking swept over her. She looked down at their clasped hands and thought about the handfast marriages of his forebears. "You want me with you at Holyhead?"

"No one else but you," he replied softly.

"Remus, I won't be able to go," began Tonks then hurriedly added, "until around Christmas. My assignments will keep me busy until then."

"You're worth waiting for, Nymphadora. I hope you think that I am."

Tonks then smiled seductively as she began playing with the buttons of his shirt. "Will we have lots of review sessions?"

"Absolutely," agreed Remus as he shrugged out of his shirt.

Tonks didn't say a word, she merely let the towel fall away.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Remus Lupin felt the blanket being tugged up and was pleasantly surprised. He turned immediately to embrace the intruding body. It was midnight and Tonks had just gotten off guard duty at the Ministry.

"Another quiet night?" he asked softly.

"Mmhm," she murmured as she quickly unbuttoned his flannel pajama top and pressed against him. The skin to skin contact was delicious.

"Did your ankle bother you?" asked Lupin.

"Uh uh," she grunted while she buried a rather cold nose against his throat. "You feel toasty."

"Thermal vampire," he muttered as he felt her relax against him, then he suddenly jerked back. "Tonks, get those ice cubes away from me!"

Tonks continued to attack his long legs with her own cold digits. "They're called toes and if you'd let me tuck them into you, they'd get warmed up."

Remus made a futile attempt to evade the determined Auror, but she distracted him with a few strategically placed kisses until suddenly her toes were caught between his knees.

She wriggled them in delight and said, "You're the best bed warmer!"

"How can the rest of your body be so warm and your toes be so cold? It can't be natural," he muttered in surrender as he lazily stroked her arm.

Tonks just giggled, but then admitted, "I couldn't find my boots, so I wore the flipflops."

"Didn't you think to transfigure them?"

"No."

"An impervious charm?"

"No."

"A heating spell?

"No."

"You just decided you'd use me for my body heat?"

"Mm hm," said Tonks, her murmur completely unrepentant. She added, "Review session in the morning, Professor. Set your alarm early."

Remus sighed, but had a smile on his face as he felt her body grow lax. Tonks was very insistent on reviewing their lessons. He wrapped his arms around her and fell back to sleep. Her presence made his room at number twelve feel like home.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Tonks?"

Remus Lupin called her name as he entered her flat. He was already shrugging out of his cloak and jacket. He laid them over a chair as he walked to the bedroom.

"Tonks?"

He wasn't sure she would be home, but thought he would at least leave a note indicating he was back from his assignment that had taken him away for the past two days. He completed his task early and so wanted to surprise her, although it was already midnight.

"Tonks?"

Silence.

Remus pressed his lips together in disappointment. He realized he had been counting on her being here, somehow magically knowing he was looking for her. Perhaps she was here but just deeply asleep?

He opened the door to her bedroom and poked his head around the door when he noticed the light.

That's when he saw her sitting up on the monster bed in her room. She said not a word, just pressed her palms against the mattress and shrugged. Her smile was wickedly welcoming, however.

His lady was wearing a large, soft, fluffy, black jumper. The contrast of her creamy skin against the dark material was striking, especially with her midnight black hair also appearing soft and inviting to the touch. The neck on the jumper was wide and dipped enticingly to reveal a creamy shoulder and the top of her bosom. But the greatest attraction were the long, well-toned limbs that the material could not cover. The smooth, firm legs were quite alluring.

He went to her silently, although a quick glance indicated that she had turned the tweed bear to face the wall. He knelt in front of her and she turned put her arms around his neck while her legs captured his waist.

"Welcome back, Professor Lupin." Her voice was husky as she leaned to kiss him.

He felt himself melting into her kiss. How was it that even dressed in black she brought color into his world?

x-x-x-x-x-x

Nymphadora Tonks yawned as she entered number twelve. She had her wand at the ready to deal with Mrs. Black's portrait. She had found that if she sent an amplified silencing charm and followed quickly with a covering spell that she could make it through to Remus' room without waking up the house.

She was smiling at her success as she leapt up the stairs two at a time. But when she got to the landing, she heard the muffled sobbing. Sirius! It couldn't be Remus; he never cried.

Tonks ran to her cousin's bedroom and skid to a halt at his doorway. There was Sirius sobbing as if his very heart were breaking while Remus held him. Tonks leaned against the doorway and bit her lip in uncertainty.

Remus held the slight body of his friend and tried not to let the fear overwhelm him. Sirius was clutching him tightly and it hurt Remus to see him in such distress. Sirius Black was supposed to be indestructible, a man with sufficient arrogance and talent to meet any challenge. If Sirius could be broken, how could any of the rest survive?

Remus opened his eyes and blinked when he saw Tonks at the door. He used his hand to wave her inside and soon, Tonks sat on the bed and leaned against Remus so she could reach over to stroke Sirius' hair. This seemed to ease the distress a bit, so Tonks began humming softly.

The sobbing eased as Sirius began to take deeper breaths. They could feel his body shuddering as he regained control, but each breath made Remus understand how physically weak Sirius had become during his years in Azkaban. Sirius exhibited his usual bravado whenever the Order had a meeting, but it had a cost. Remus now understood that when Sirius withdrew from them, it was as much to rest as it was to be alone.

Remus and Tonks exchanged a glance. She, too, was disturbed by his frailty. Tonks had always thought of Sirius as powerful and invincible. Sirius Black was a man with presence and strength, but now she could feel the infirmity of his body. She blinked as tears of regret filled her eyes, but she would not cry for her cousin. He didn't want pity and he hated for others to cry on his behalf.

So instead Tonks began to sing the song she was humming. It was an old hymn that asked the question: How can I keep from singing? The soft melody allowed the comforting lyrics to have their full effect. One could almost hear the far off hymn that Tonks sang about.

Remus felt himself relaxing as he let his mind wrap around the words of comfort. Tonks' voice was too low to be called sweet, but the notes were pure and vibrant.

There was a power in her voice one wouldn't expect in the Auror, but as she sang the verses about clinging to the song even as the darkness closes in, Sirius began to relax. He felt the warmth from Lupin and Tonks reflecting the rock described in the lyrics.

Remus felt Sirius settling against him while Tonks continued to stroke his hair like a mother soothing a child. She sang about tyrants trembling in fear. She sang about the prisoner whose friends still hold him in their thoughts. She sang about remaining undefiled even by the shame the world would rain on you. The message was of light in the darkness, the melodyseemed to fill the room with golden notes that made the darkness fall away.

Tonks lost track of the number of verses she sang, but Remus patted her hand when he noticed the regular breathing coming from Sirius. Tonks let the song die out as the trio remained in position.

A silent moment of peace was a beautiful thing to share, even if you were a lycanthrope holding a fugitive being serenaded by an Auror.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Remus Lupin was sitting at the table in Tonks' kitchen. She said she'd be there by midnight, but it was already a quarter after and still no Tonks. Remus had become absorbed in one of her books as he sat patiently waiting for her.

Suddenly the door to the flat blew open and he heard the abrupt command.

"Don't move a muscle."

Remus froze in position. He could see the wand at the ready from the corner of his eye and he heard the footsteps approaching.

"Perfect," she whispered into the nape of his neck.

"What?" he asked without turning. Actually, her mouth had attached itself to his neck now, so he couldn't move.

And what she was doing to him made him lose coherent thought for a moment. He finally murmured, "What is perfect?"

"You have a beautifully slender neck," replied Tonks as she moved his book so she could straddle his lap.

"Ah," he said as he put his arms around her waist. "I thought you liked my long legs."

"Mm hm, and your hands," she murmured as he stroked her back. She whispered above his lips, "And definitely your mouth. You have a very," she kissed one corner, "kissable," she kissed the other corner, "mouth."

He let himself drown in her kiss although he found this level of adulation a bit amusing. She pulled back to begin unbuttoning his shirt when he asked, "But you couldn't possibly find this nose appealing."

Her eyes were sparkling as she leaned forward to kiss the bridge of his nose. Then she rubbed her own pert nose lightly against his. "I think your nose is absolutely delightful, Professor Lupin."

He laughed softly before he admitted, "Nymphadora, you do wonderful things for my ego."

She pouted attractively before she asked, "So what do you think of me?"

Remus felt his breath catch for a moment. She would never quite understand the amount of courage it took for him to make the ultimate admission. "I love you, Nymphadora."

She became completely still and just stared at him. She blinked twice and then her voice was a bare whisper. "I used to say 'I love you' all the time when I just meant 'I want you.'"

"I've never said these words to a woman before, but I know what they mean," assured Remus as he gently stroked her cheek. Was that a tear glistening in her eye? He felt compelled to repeat the words. "I love you."

He felt his heart racing as the silence stretched on. Then the tear that had been threatening fell and lingered at the corner of her eye. But her dark eyes were quite bright now and a smile graced her face.

Tonks laughed in delight at the sense of freedom. It was as if the shackles that had been holding her fell away. "I love you, Remus."

She kissed him softly and now tears were streaming down her face, but her visage was alight with the simple joy of being able to say, "I love you."

"I love you, Nymphadora," he said again as he embraced her. It was just one more month until Christmas, just a few weeks before they went to Holyhead, but at that moment, heaven could be found in the little kitchen of Tonks' flat.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Tonks entered Grimmauld Place on the night of the full moon. She was prepared to deal with the vicious troll foot umbrella stand. She was prepared to deal with the old hag in the portrait. She was even prepared to deal with Kreacher if she encountered him.

But she was not quite prepared for the sight that greeted her.

Mrs. Black was indeed screeching from her portrait, but she was being drowned out by the twin howls that reverberated from the stairs. A loud squawk punctuated the howlings and soon she heard the rumble of a stampede.

"Bark! Bark!"

The bear of a dog sped down the stairs with his tongue hanging out because he was trying to maintain a dead run.

"Grrr."

The growl sounded more cautious than threatening as a large wolf loped after the dog.

Mrs. Black's portrait got louder in retort, until the werewolf leapt at her face and growled menacingly.

Then the wolf caught up with the mutt and the two rolled into a heap of fur with the wolf pinning the dog with his paws.

Tonks whistled shrilly at this point to get his attention and the wolf immediately looked up and cocked his head to the side. He seemed about to howl, but was suddenly bowled over by the hippogriff.

Buckbeak apparently wanted to join in the game. Soon the werewolf abandoned his prey to dodge and parry the bites of the hippogriff. The attacks were not at all vicious. Rather, they reminded Tonks more of puppies at play than true aggression.

"Is this a boys' night or can I stay?" asked Tonks of Snuffles.

Snuffles transformed into Sirius Black for a moment. Her cousin had a wide and genuine smile on his face. "We'll let you stay, but I'll have to transform you into some animal."

"As long as it's not permanent and not a ferret."

"An hour at most, but then I'll run out of energy by then, too. I have the perfect creature in mind," replied Sirius with a barking laugh as he waved his wand.

Tonks felt her form diminish. Unlike her morphing and Lupin's transformations, this spell had no discomfort because it was mostly illusion rather than substance.

"Perfect. Come on then," said Sirius before he transformed into Snuffles and joined Buckbeak in attacking Remus.

"Arf!" called the little black and white Welsh corgi. She wagged her tail in delight at joining the boys in their games.

And so as the full moon was high on this November night, the Werewolf and the Welsh corgi romped with Snuffles and Buckbeak in Grimmauld Place. But the place didn't seem very grim at all.

_The End_

Author Notes:

I've had a number of these images in my mind, so I put off the story I had intended on writing and opted to string these vignettes together. I decided to post it as one chapter because I'm too lazy tonight to separate into chapters.

They served the purpose of letting you know how the relationship is progressing through the month of November and why they're waiting until they can get back to Holyhead.

Their declaration of love might seem anticlimactic, but sometimes it's being able to say those magic words in the most mundane of places that makes them all the more real.

The Tonks in black sweater was inspired from a picture of Anna Friel, David Thewlis' partner.

Oh, and the way Tonks goes on about how much she likes Lupin's bits was inspired by the usual suspects who show up at David Thewlis online.

Sirius' breakdown is pure conjecture, but I wouldn't have written it if I didn't find it plausible. I think he'd use bravado to mask how physically weak he might have become. Harry noted that he always seemed gaunt. And I really think he'd have moments when negative affect would overwhelm him. I think this would be scary to Remus and Tonks considering how strong Sirius' personality is. The song is based on an old Shaker Hymn that you might be familiar with. If not, see Enya, although I prefer simpler arrangements.

And the last image is one that has been on my mind for a while. I wanted to end the month with something bright and a bit silly.

Thanks for reading. I hope you got the pictures I was trying to convey.

If you're new to the series, just hit Queriusole and that will take you to the rest of the stories, but this can be read as a stand alone.


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